Tuesday, May 29, 2007

killer of sheep

charles burnett's killer of sheep, 1977.my teachers in film school were obsessed with this film and showed it at least once a semester. it is certainly a classic in american cinema, surely in the same league as the work of john cassavetes. now hopefully this and shirley clarke's the connection and the cool world will make it to dvd.

that is strange, i didn't notice.the music is really something, makes me want to rent the robeson movies.i have been thinking about the "great man" thing in relation to the sheep killer.it is funny that i am reading the idiot about the "ideal-man" that is described as a non-comic don quixote.the sheep killer really does relate, and the contrast to the children (innocence) is interesting, but they have not yet experienced melancholia......

yes indeed, and his wife helps him out,such a beautiful film.i don't remember what the contexts where, they would show alot of black cinema like oscar michaux, shirley clark, ed bland, paul robeson, some others. made a big impression, but these people are invisible for most people, it is sad. but killer of sheep getting rereleased is a good sign, and the robeson criterion.

I believe this was Charles Burnett's senior film. I saw him give a talk some years back in Austin. He shot the film on the weekends over the span of a year. They showed a beautiful print of the film after his talk. I loved it.